Exterior shell mute for brass musical instruments



Feb. 25,- 1969 a. H. FINCH 3,429,215 "EXTERIOR SHELL MUTE FOR BRASS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed April 5. 1967 FIG 2 FIG 3 4x 40 4b gzr I FIG. 4 v Y -FIG.,6

IINVENTOR. Gerald H.'Finch United States Patent 3,429,215 EXTERIOR SHELL MUTE FOR BRASS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Gerald H. Finch, 511 E. Sahara Ave., Apt. E-208, Las Vegas, Nev. 89105 Filed Apr. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 628,151 US. Cl. 84-400 Int. Cl. Gd 9/06 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to improvements in mutes for brass musical instruments and more specifically to improvements in mutes for the brass musical instruments known as trumpet and trombone.

Mute designs of accepted standard have been designed for varying sound effect by blocking the direct passage of sound by a center of circumference object sized in ratio to the volume length of the bore of the brass musical instrument. The resistance and weight of these mutes cannot be reduced readily because of the need for uniform sound effect performance.

Most mutes designed for uniform effect are assemblies of sections of formed cardboard glued together and in some instances the sections are riveted in place. Moisture from breathing into the interior causes the joints to become unglued and in most cases the mute is discarded when sections become separated in this manner.

The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a durable structural mute of exterior design that will produce sound variation effects by a method of deflection of sound emission. The method of variational deflection includes use of at least one spring having spaced seating surfaces and one or a plurality of springs having at least one seating surface, said seating surfaces adapted for selective engagement with the rim of the bell of the brass musical instrument whereby the user may adjust the receiving angle of the mute by moving the bottom portion of the mute (FIGS. 1 and 2) to the front away from the bottom periphery of the bells rim.

Another object of this invention is to direct by off center contour the air volume discharge and direction which promotes the quality of sound vibrations, thus providing a degree of unrestricted discharge air volume and sound at the bell outlet passage of the instrument. Further elimination of resistance to sound emission is accomplished by the arrangement of linear exhaust slots in the periphery of the mute relieving air turbulence which would normally disturb the equality of relative pitch of harmonic tunes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mute of minimum weight so the musical instrument it is applied to will not be thrown out of its balance weight to the hand position of the user.

Another object of this invention is to produce a simple, durable and inexpensive mute that has great utility and can be made from a variety of materials.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of making mutes or the like.

3,429,215 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description which is accompanied by the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation View partially in section of a mute shown in relation to the bell rim of a brass musical instrument and embodying features of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar side elevation view showing the mute in an extended position on the bell rim;

FIG. 3 is another side elevation view of the mute showing a preferred arrangement of the linear exhaust slots and the spring clip fastener arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the outer or forward end surface of the mute;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a spring clip utilized in the present invention which has a plurality of seats for engaging the bell rim of the instrument; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of another spring member used in the assembly which has a seating surface for engagement of the bell rim and functions as a pivot in the position adjustment of the mute.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mute 1 embodying features of my invention has a circumferential side Wall 1a and closed forward end 1c with an open rear end 1b. The hollow body comprising the mute has an asymmetrical shape and is removably attached to the rim 6 of a bell portion 6a of the instrument on which the mute is fastened by a plurality of clip members 411 and 4b. In order to provide the desired adjustable fastening effect, the mute assembly will have at least one clip 4a secured on its bottom surface as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 with an extension portion 4m extending rearwardly and having a plurality of seats 4x, any one of which may be moved selectively into engagement with rim 6 of the bell. FIG. 1 represents the location of the mute in fullest closing relation to the end of bell 6a, while FIG. 2 represents the extreme extension position in which the open end 1b of the mute is substantially spaced from rim 6. A preferred clip arrangement in the assembly has been illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 and at least one clip 4b is required in association with at least one clip 4a to provide the adjustable fastening assembly. As shown, two of the clips 4b are located near the top surface of side wall 1a equidistant from the center line 2-2 shown in FIG. 4. These clips 4b have seating contact with rim 6 as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and provide a pivotal axis for swinging the mute within the range of movement indicated by the positions shown in FIGS. 1 .and 2.

As will be best understood by reference to FIG. 2, the interior of body 1 is lined with a flexible sound damping material 2a which may be any suitable composition, such as polyurethane foam. This composition is secured as a permanent liner for the interior shell portion or body designated 1 which may be made of various plastic compositions designated generally :as thermoplastics, phe-,

nolics, reinforced polyresins or the like. In order to avoid excessive damping effect, a plurality of lengthwise extending slots are arranged in symmetrical groups 3a and 3b on opposite sides of center line 2-2, as will be best understood by reference to FIG. 4. These slots in conjunction with the inner foam liner serve as a resonance damper while allowing sufficient passage of air from the enclosure to insure desired tonal quality.

While dimensional variations may be employed in the practice of my invention, I have found that highly satisfactory results are attained when the flexible liner 2a is maintained within a thickness range of A1 to inch. The liner preferably is secured Within the body 1 by .a standard contact cement and the entire interior surface of body 1 is covered in this manner.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spring clip 4a is located on the bottom center line of shell 1a and the asymmetrical shaping of the shell in such position will be best understood by reference to FIG. 4. As shown, the pair of spring clips 4b which define the pivotal axis of the arrangement illustrated are disposed in symmetrical arrangement relative to the center line 22 on the top surface of the shell. The shaping of end 10 is shown in FIG. 4 and has its portion adjacent the bottom of shell 1a of greater width than the upper portion. As the shell material possesses a degree of flexibility as does the inner lining 2a, the clips 4a and 4b are easily moved in and out of fastening contact with rim 6. This shaping permits selective direction of the sound waves passing from hell 6a with most of such waves passing directly into the interior of shell 1a for subsequent discharge through slots 3a and 3b and associated portions of liner 2a. However, when the mute is moved to the extended position shown in FIG. 2, a substantial part of the sound emission is permitted to pass through the gap between the shell 1a and bell 6a without entering the interior of shell 1a. In this way, the sound emission is dampened to whatever extent is desired and by providing controlled direction to the sound passage, the desired tonal qualities can be maintained. As the liner 2a is a cellular type of material, sound reflection or return movement is substantially avoided and undesired turbulence within the interior of the mute is effectively prevented.

The slot arrangement as shown in FIG. 3 provides a plurality of lengthwise extending slots in groups which are in symmetrical arrangement relative to the center line of the body or shell. Also, with respect to the normal positioning of the shell, these groups of slots are in the lower portion of same and permit emission of sound from the interior of the shell in a downward direction. In general, the velocity of the sound discharge from the instrument bell determines the number of exhaust slots needed for such location and by way of illustration, a trumpet mute will need more exhaust slots than the trombone because the length of the instrument tubing is half that of the trombone and the air or sound discharge velocity would be far greater to provide tonal effects at an octave higher.

With further reference to the spring clip arrangement, particularly as illustrated in FIGS. and 6, the clip 4a has a bifurcated extension portion and the uppermost stretch of same is provided with the seating surfaces 4x. As previously noted, the shell and liner have a substantial degree of flexibility and the provision of the clip 4a formed of spring material in the bifurcated arrangement shown permits springing of the upper stretch relative to the lower portion 4m so that any selected seat is easily brought in register with the rim and the user can adjust the mute positions on the instrument by feel without visual observation of such positions. The clamping effect of the plurality of clips on the bell rim insures an adequate fastening at all times while permitting the easy adjustment of position referred to above.

I claim:

1. The combination with the bell rim of a brass musical instrument, of a hollow resonance shell supported for adjustable positioning forwardly of said rim, the shell having a foam liner covering and secured to its entire inner surface, a plurality of lengthwise extending slots in the shell intermediate its ends, and fastening means for securing the shell on the rim comprising one member providing a pivotal connection therewith and a second member disposed on the periphery of the shell opposite from the first member and having spaced rim seating surfaces permitting adjustable positioning of the shell on said rim.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, in which the shell has an asymmetrical shape, and said slots are arranged in symmetrical groups disposed on opposite sides of the vertical center line through the shell.

3. A mute for a brass musical instrument comprising a hollow resonance shell closed at its outer end and having an open inner end, a foam liner covering and secured to the entire inner shell surface, a plurality of lengthwise extending slots in the shell intermediate its ends, and spring clips for securing the inner end of the mute in selective operative positions on the bell rim of the instrument for differential enclosure of the outlet passage of the bell, said clips including at least one member having a plurality of seats disposed for engaging the bell rim, and at least one other clip having a surface disposed for seating engagement with another portion of the bell rim and providing a pivotal axis permitting selective seating of the rim in one of said seats of the first said clip.

4. A mute as defined in claim 3 having a shell of asymmetrical shape.

5. A mute as defined in claim 3 having a plurality of clips providing a pivotal axis on an upper portion of the shell substantially opposite the lower clip having plural seats.

6. A mute as defined in claim 3 having a plurality of slots disposed in symmetrical arrangement on each side of the center line of said shell.

7. A mute as defined in claim 3, in which the clip on the lower portion of the shell has a bifurcated portion extending outwardly from the shell and a plurality of seating surfaces on its upper stretch.

8. A mute as defined in claim 3, in which the shell is formed of a thermoplastic composition and the lining is formed of polyurethane foam.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,700 11/1912 Greenwood 84400 2,318,535 5/ 1943 Spivak 84- 2,574,591 11/1951 Rudd 84-400 3,322,015 5/1967 Berg 84-400 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE R. FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

